[Federal Register: October 29, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 208)][Notices] [Page 55858-55860]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29oc09-103]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-2009-0033]
Walking and Working Surfaces Standard for General Industry;
Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of
the Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend the
Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information
collection requirements contained in the Walking and Working Surfaces
Standard for General Industry (29 CFR part 1910, subpart D).
DATES: Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by
December 28, 2009.
ADDRESSES:
Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting
comments.
Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer
than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
1648.
Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service:
When using this method, you must submit three copies of your comments
and attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2009-0033,
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service)
are accepted during the Department of Labor's and Docket Office's normal
business hours, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., e.t.
Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and OSHA
docket number for the Information Collection Request (ICR) (OSHA-2009-
0033). All comments, including any personal information you provide,
are placed in the public docket without change, and may be made
available online at http://www.regulations.gov. For further information
on submitting comments, see the "Public Participation" heading in the
section of this notice titled SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at
the address above. All documents in the docket (including this Federal
Register notice) are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index;
however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly
available to read or download through the Web site. All submissions,
including copyrighted material, are available for inspection and
copying at the OSHA Docket Office. You may contact Theda Kenney at the
address below to obtain a copy of the ICR.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney or Todd Owen, Directorate
of Standards and Guidance, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3609,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202)
693-2222.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent (i.e., employer) burden, conducts a
preclearance consultation program to provide the public with an
opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing information
collection requirements in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program ensures that
information is in the desired format, reporting burden (time and costs)
is minimal, collection instruments are clearly understood, and OSHA's
estimate of the information collection burden is accurate. The
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et
seq.) authorizes information collection by employers as necessary or
appropriate for enforcement of the Act or for developing information
regarding the causes and prevention of occupational injuries,
illnesses, and accidents (29 U.S.C. 657).
The collections of information contained in the Walking and Working
Surfaces Standard are necessary to protect workers from the collapse of
overloaded floors, outrigger scaffolds, and failure of defective
portable metal ladders. The following describes the information
collection requirements in subpart D:
Paragraph 1910.22(d)(1) requires that in every building or other
structure, or part thereof, used for mercantile, business, industrial,
or storage purposes, the loads approved by the building official shall
be marked on plates of approved design which shall be supplied and
securely affixed by the owner of the building, or his duly authorized
agent, in a conspicuous place in each space to which they relate. Such
plates shall not be removed or defaced but, if lost, removed, or
defaced, shall be replaced by the owner or his agent.
Under paragraph 1910.26(c)(2)(vii), portable metal ladders having
defects are to be marked and taken out of service until repaired by
either the maintenance department or the manufacturer.
Paragraph 1910.28(e)(3) specifies that unless outrigger scaffolds
are designed by a licensed professional engineer, they shall be
constructed and erected in accordance with table D-16 of this section.
A copy of the detailed drawings and specifications showing the sizes
and spacing of members shall be kept on the job.
II. Special Issues for Comment
OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
Whether the proposed information collection requirements
are necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions,
including whether the information is useful;
The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and
costs) of the information collection requirements, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
The quality, utility, and clarity of the information
collected; and
Ways to minimize the burden on employers who must comply;
for example, by using automated or other technological information
collection and transmission techniques.
III. Proposed Actions
OSHA is requesting that OMB extend its approval of the information
collection requirements contained in the Walking and Working Surfaces
Standard for General Industry (29 CFR Part 1910, subpart D). OSHA is
proposing to increase the burden hours in the currently approved
information collection request from 1,193 to 6,125 (a total increase of
4,932 hours). This increase is due to updated data showing an increase
in the number of firms from 10,000 to 41,540. The Agency will summarize
the comments submitted in response to this notice and will include this
summary in the request to OMB.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Title: Walking and Working Surfaces for General Industry (29 CFR
1910, Subpart D).
OMB Number: 1218-0199.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profits; Federal Government;
State, Local, or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 75,408.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Average Time per Response: Three minutes (.05 hour) to mark ladders
with a tag or other means; 20 minutes (0.33 hours) to acquire a
replacement sign and to post it.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 6,125 hours.
Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintenance): $0.
IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on this Notice and
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions
You may submit comments in response to this document as follows:
(1) Electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal
eRulemaking Portal; (2) by facsimile (FAX); or (3) by hard copy. All
comments, attachments, and other material must identify the Agency name
and the OSHA docket number for the ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2009-0033). You
may supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files
electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference
to an electronic or facsimile submission, you must submit them to the
OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled ADDRESSES).
The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments
by your name, date, and the docket number so the Agency can attach them
to your comments.
Because of security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a
significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about
security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand,
express delivery, messenger, or courier service, please contact the
OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, (TTY (877) 889-5627).
Comments and submissions are posted without change at http://
www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about
submitting personal information such as social security numbers and
date of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the http://
www.regulations.gov index, some information (e.g., copyrighted
material) is not publicly available to read or download through this
Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are
available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office.
Information on using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site to submit
comments and access the docket is available at the Web site's "User
Tips" link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about
materials not available through the Web site, and for assistance in
using the Internet to locate docket submissions.
V. Authority and Signature
Jordan Barab, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational
Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice. The
authority for this notice is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3506 et seq.) and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 5-2007 (72 FR
31160).
Signed at Washington, DC, this 26th day of October 2009.
Jordan Barab,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health.
[FR Doc. E9-26074 Filed 10-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
